Strawberry Shortcake Cake

CAKE:

1½ cups flour

3 tablespoons corn starch

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup sou cream, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

ICING:

½ pound (1 package) cream cheese, room temperature

2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound strawberries

How to make it :

Preheat oven to 340 degrees fahrenheit.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. 

Add sour cream and vanilla and mix well until combined.

Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan.

Bake at 350 degree fahrenheit for about 45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly. NOTE: The cake does bake to a very dark golden brown.

Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely.

Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.

ICING:

Combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla and a dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until light and fluffy.

Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices. Place the cake halves into the freezer for five minutes, just to make icing easier.

Remove from freezer. Use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top, spreading evenly, then spread the remaining 1/3 cup around the sides.

Leave plain or garnish with strawberry haves.  IMPORTANT: Cake is best when served slightly cool. The butter content in the icing will cause it to soften at room temperature. For best results, store in the fridge.